Flames News

Gillies a candidate for inaugural Mike Richter Award

CALGARY, AB -- Calgary Flames prospect Jon Gillies is one of the 18 nominees for the inaugural Mike Richter Award, honouring the most outstanding goaltender in NCAA men's hockey.

Gillies, who was the Flames third round pick in 2012, is in his sophomore season with Providence College. He is 14-7-5 this season with a 2.23 GAA and a .926 save percentage. Earlier in the year he became the Friars all-time leader in shutouts when he posted his eighth shutout in his collegiate career.

Candidates for the award were determined by nominations from all 59 NCAA Division I men's hockey head coaches, and based on criteria including skill on the ice, academic standing, sportsmanship and community service.

The finalists and winner will be selected by a committee of coaches, scouts and members of the media. The inaugural award will be presented at the 2014 NCAA Men's Frozen Four in Philadelphia in April.

Richter won 301 games and a Stanley Cup in a 14-year NHL career spent entirely with the New York Rangers after starring collegiately for the University of Wisconsin. He also led the United States to the World Cup of Hockey championship in 1996 while winning tournament MVP.

Richter was inducted into the University of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005 and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008, and his No. 35 is retired by the Rangers.